The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-03
.Ay, clean rs a new brass Garden.

LAY, clean Us new brass Garden.
and provisioncd fJr a month
"AoNslet ME understand; when the
ship is hove to. you viii sling the long
boat 7ver?"
Il explained all that before" he
answered. grluiiy. Not that"
=. You're hangin' on 4 tidy bit about
them there boats. What DO you
think"
Il suppose my life is as good as
yours. and that have right to find
out how we are to abandon this ship
and make the shore" / answered.
with some show of warmth, my object
being to get all the information from
him that was possible to be drawn.
- You'll get the long-boat alongside,
and all hands will jump into herr Is
| that it?"
Why, wot do you think we'd get
the boat alongside for if we didn't get
into her?' he replied. with kind of
growing laugh.
:" viii anybody be left on the ship?"
Anybody left on the ship" he ex-
claimed, fetching a Sudden breath.
"Wot's pat that in yer head?"
II was afraid that that yellow villain,
the cook, might induce you to leave
| the steward behind to take his chance
to sink or swim in her, just Out of re-
venge for ealing bad pork good"
said !, fixing my eyes upon him.
mo, no, nothen OF the sort" he
replied, quickly. and with evident
alarm. Course the cook. dye think
Is skipper to give them kind O or
ders?''
Now you see what l am driving
at" said, laying my hand on his
arm, and addressing him with a smile.
- really did think you meant TO
leave the poor steward behaid. And
what wanted to understand was how
YOU proposed to manage with the
boats to prevent him boarding you
that is why l was curious"
The suspicious ruffian took the bait,
is I meant he should; and, putting on
an unconcerned manner, which fitted
him as i'll as the pilot-iacket, which he
had stolen from the captain he had
murdered. and which he was now
wearing, inquired: What | meant by
that? If they left the steward behind
not that they was goin' to. but to
would the management of the boats
have to do with preventin' him board
in of them? He didn't understand"
''Oh, nothing" I replied. with
Shrug. ''Since we are 10 take the
steward with US, there's an end of the
matter
Cant you explain, sir?" he cried,
striving to suppress his temper.
ut is not worth the trouble" said l;
"because, don't You see, if even yOu
had made mp yoer mind to leave tic
steward on the ship, you'd only have
one man to deal with. What put this
matter into my head was yarn l read
some time ago about a ships company
wishing to leave their vessel. There
were only two boats which were service
able, and these wouldn't hold above
two-thirds of the crew. SO the men
conspirei among themselycs-do you
understand me-"
Yes. YES, I'm a-foliowin' of YOU"
That is, twelve men out of a crew
composed of eighteen hands resolved
to lower the boats and get away, and
leave the others to shift Tor themselves.
But they had to actcauiiousiy, because,
dom YOU see, the follows who were to
be left behind would become desperate
with the fear of death, and if any of
them contrived to get into the boats
they might begin a fight, which, if it
didn't capSize the boats. was pretty
sure to end in drowning match. OK
course. in our case, AS | have said, even
supposing you had made up your mind
to leave the steward behind, we should
have nothing to fear, because he
would be only one man. But when
YOU come to two, or three. or four men
driven mad by terror. then look out, if
they get among you in Il boat! for fear
will make two as strong rs six, and
shouldn't like to be in the boat where
such fight was taking place"
We'll, but how did them other chaps
manage as you re telIin' about"
Why, they all got into the boats in
a lump. and showed off well clear of
the ship. The others jumped into the
water after them, but never reached
the boats But all this doesn't hit our
case. You wished me to explain. and |
now you know my reasons for asking |
YOU how you meant to manage with |
the boats. Do not forget that there is |
a woman among us, and a fight at the |
hast moment. when our lives may depend |
upon orderliness and GOODNESS, may |
drown us all.
And so saving. l left him, under pre-
tense of looking at the compass.